The Case Of Sentiment
by SerHolmes
Summary: A new case has risen and Sherlock Holmes alongside John Watson solve the case when one of the suspects happen to be Watson's old friend.


**Author** **'** **s note : This story was a mix of ideas between my friend and I.**

* * *

 **The Case Of Sentiment**

It was a luminous and pleasant morning where I had tea with my companion, Dr. John H. Watson, but that morning was just the beginning to a journey where sentiment played a role in both our lives. I must admit, I never thought that I would understand ordinary people and human nature, and I still don't quite catch it but I understand more than I used to. "Have you read the papers?" Watson inquired.

"Is it about the case on Mr. Hall?"

"Indeed it is, once again you were not given any credits for your amazing work."

I smirked saying "As usual."

"Don't you think a little recognition would benefit you?"

"Benefit? Hah! It doesn't please me that everyone knows nothing yet everything about me, Watson, praise and criticism mean little to me."

Watson was about to speak when the landlady, Mrs. Hudson, walked in the room, "Inspector Lestrade is here to see you Holmes, he said it would be better that you come immediately." said she. "A crime has been committed then, come along Watson." I stood up and went down with my trustworthy companion.

"Ah, Inspector Lestrade, where is our destination?"

"At a tavern on York Street."

"Just around the corner then, come, walk with me and tell me what you've learned so far."

"The victim is a man around his mid-sixties, witnesses say that he was just drinking his cup of tea alone the time he was there, nobody saw anything else."

"Is the body being left as it was right now?"

"Yes, I made sure that nobody tampered with any evidence in the crime scene."

"Excellent.' We turned into York Street when Watson said 'It would seem that we have crowd, you sure you don't mind it Holmes?"

"The only important thing is the work, Watson." I replied. We walked past the crowd and into the crime scene to find a man laying dead on the floor with no signs of violence, this could be murder, suicide or sudden death, either way my companion and I have already made our way here. I started investigating the crime scene and the body when an odour tickled my nose, I moved closer to the body and smelled his mouth, poison. "Holmes, I recognize that man over there in the crowd, though it's just a vague memory." Watson whispered. I looked up to the crowd and saw the man he was talking about, a tall man with a well trimmed beard and overalls that of a doctor. "Maybe just an old friend." I remarked. I finished investigating and said "The victim had once worked as a gardener and was never married so there isn't much family relations. He was also suffering from a disease but it didn't kill him, he was poisoned, drug overdose probably. May I speak to the witness you talked to?"

"She's right there." Lestrade said pointing his fingers to a young lady.

The lady came over and said "Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

"Only this, tell me everything you saw."

"Well, I only saw him for a minute and he wasn't doing anything suspicious, he was just drinking his cup of tea."

"Thank you for your time.' I smiled and turned around. "That statement was extremely barren." I whispered to Watson to which he just chuckled. Inspector Lestrade looked down on the body and said "Poison you said?"

"Possible drug overdose."

"And how the deuce did you know that?"

"Lestrade, I did not know, I saw."

"Well I don't see anything which indicates drug overdose."

"You do see, you just don't observe, the distinction is clear. Look at his arm, a small hole only a syringe could produce, this means he was infected by a disease and had to receive an injection but his doctor might have pushed in too much of his medication into his veins," I pulled out a small syringe and acquired some of the victims blood, "All I have to do now," with the syringe in my hand I stepped outside and waved for a cab "is to find out what exactly killed him." I entered the cab and told him to pull up at St. Bartholomew's Hospital which it did, I hurried to the chemistry lab and started my experiment. Time passed by quickly and when I finally awoke from my oblivious state, Watson was there with a serious look on his face, "You left me back at the tavern."

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did and that was not the first time you have done that."

"Apologies, Watson but I had to figure out what was the poison that killed our poor victim."

"And any progress so far?"

"Yes, I have found that the poison is a deadly one but not all poisons are untraceable, the victim was killed by cyanide poisoning."

"Cyanide? Like the favourite poison of the Roman Emperor Nero?"

"Precisely. There aren't many doctors who would have cyanide in London, I believe I will have a list of names before the night ends. Come Watson, let us return to Baker Street, we must stop by somewhere for a moment on the way back if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Holmes."

We stepped outside of St. Bartholomew's Hospital and took the shortest route back to Baker Street, it was near an alleyway when I stopped, "A moment if you will." I uttered, I walked in the alleyway to find the Baker Street Irregulars, "Wiggins, find me all the doctors around London who possesses cyanide in their stores." I told the leader of the organization as I paid him with a shilling. As I walked out the alley, Watson was waiting impatiently, "It looks like there's going to be a downpour real soon!" he cried. "Then let us make haste."

A little over an hour has passed since we have returned when Wiggins handed me a piece of paper and bid me farewell. "Look at this Watson, the list of names of doctors who possess cyanide at their respective stores. Read it for me will you?" I handed him the paper while I picked up the telephone directory and flipped the pages.

"Doctor Lester Clinton, Doctor Ian Monty, Doctor Roosevelt Lorn, Doctor Phillip Ludger and Doctor Ormond Sacker."

"Four Englishman and one German, fascinating. Do any of those names ring a bell?"

"Doctor Ormond Sacker sounds quite familiar, was he a client?"

"No I don't believe so, but it says here that he lives in 14A, Northumberland Street."

"Sorry what?"

"14A, Northumberland Street."

"Oh my God." Watson chuckled.

"An old friend?"

"Doctor Ormond Sacker was my apprentice when we were in Afghanistan, we were really close. He sent me a letter a few days after our retirement as army doctors, 14A, Northumberland Street was his address and it still is."

"Shall we go then?"

"Certainly! I haven't seen him for ages!"

It was half past nine when we left for Northumberland Street, Watson was enthusiastic to meet Dr. Sacker, he went on telling me stories about him in the cab, about his wife, his passion in being a doctor and how he used to make fun of Watson's middle name, I must admit though that his middle name is hilarious.

When we arrived at the address, my first instinct was to look for clues but Watson was just too excited to meet his former war companion, he rang the doorbell but there was no response. He rang again and the very same man among the crowd opened the door and stared at us, Watson blissfully said "Ormond! Ormond Sacker! It's me, Dr. John Watson!" From a man who looked so serious and deadly he became a man who just found out that his missing dog was found, "Dr. Watson! How glad am I to see you again! I see you've brought a friend." said he. "Ah, yes. Ormond Sacker, Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes, Ormond Sacker." Watson remarked. "Pleased to meet you!" said our suspect as he pulled his hand out for a shake, I shook his hand and entered the apartment.

"It's been very long Watson, but why today?" Dr. Sacker asked.

"Business my old friend but enough of that, how's Eryn?"

"They're divorced, my dear Watson." I interrupted.

"Well your friend is quite observant I see, sadly it's true Eryn and I divorced a little over two months ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"No worries, a small matter which affects the strongest of hearts. You said business has brought you here, is is your medical career which steered its ways into my path?" Dr. Sacker jokingly said.

"I'm afraid not Dr. Sacker, you are a suspect of a crime." I replied.

"Holmes!" Watson shouted.

"Watson, I understand that he is a former apprentice and good friend of yours but the fact remains intact, this man is a suspect of murder. Apologies Mr. Sacker but may I know why you have cyanide in your possessions?"

"Is this some kind of formidable joke?!"

"I'm afraid it isn't Dr. Sacker for a murder has been committed and cyanide was injected into the victim."

Our host shrugged and said "Very well, if you must know, I use cyanide to measure ketone bodies mainly as a follow-up to diabetic patients. Excuse me but haven't I seen you before?"

"Maybe. Well then, I think it's best we be off. Come along, Watson, we have much more important matters to discuss." I walked out with Watson apologizing and bidding farewell to our host.

"What the deuce was that all about?"

"What?"

"You know what. I thought we were here just so I can meet up with an old friend."

"Well he started it."

"It was a joke, Holmes! Do you not understand jokes?"

"A joke? Watson, a man has been poisoned by cyanide and it so happens that your old friend has in his hand the poison we're looking for."

"And since when did you care?"

He got me, I admit, he got me good.

"Anyways, this was not the important matter I wanted to discuss with you."

"Then what is?"

"Have you seen him?"

"Of course I have seen him, he was our host."

"I mean, observe him. Watson, he is a suspect and has to be treated as one."

"Oh bollocks, this is another one of your observation and deduction speeches isn't it? Let's just get this over with and find your other suspects."

And so we did, street by street, apartment by apartment, suspect by suspect, we have seen them all and they all said the same thing, using cyanide to measure ketone bodies. When we returned to our apartment, I sat down on my chair with my hands on my chin piecing up the clues of the puzzle when Watson asked "So, did you find our murderer then?"

"No not yet"

"Well is there anything I could do to help?"

"Pass me the book on history of crimes would you?"

He picked up the book and handed it over to me, "Well, it's late, I best return home, Mary's going to be furious." and he left after that.

It was a little over midnight when I solved the case, but solving it was the easy part, breaking the news however was the severe one. In the morning, Watson came by and discussed about the case. "Have you solved it?" he asked impatiently.

"Solved it? Solved what?"

"The case."

"Ah the case, it bored me, though I must say that it must take a lot of guts to poison someone in a hospital, not many would be willing to be involved in such matters."

"True, the German doctor was a man of wits but he certainly did not have the audacity to pull such a heinous crime. Well, Mary and I have to go meet a friend of ours today, try not to get high while i'm gone will you?" I smiled as he walked out. I jumped up and entered my room closing the door behind me, I then came out an old man, disguise has always been a perk of mine. I went down and saw Watson and Mary walking on the street, I followed them at a similar pace and as I was behind Watson I willfully bumped him and fell. Surely enough he helped me up without recognizing me, "Thank you, if I were strong as the soldier I once was, this wouldn't have happened."

"You were a soldier?"

"Aye, a brave one too, why I had the guts to watch a man die in front of me eyes."

"I was an army doctor and saw a lot of bodies myself, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Haha, young man, you have the boldness of a lion, pray you find keep that boldness until the very end." With this I walked away and so did they, both Mary and Watson have not suspected anything but it was better for me to continue on with my plan, I had asked Wiggins to help me get Dr. Clinton, Dr. Monty and Dr. Lorn to meet up near Baker Street. If they were to walk past by Watson and Mary, it would certainly break his suspicion towards the three doctors and thankfully they did. As they walked past the couple, the three of them were happily chatting without any fear or guilt, Watson noticed this of course and stopped. "Something wrong?" Mary asked.

"Nothing, let us continue."

It was at this point where I knew that my companion would piece up all the pieces of this puzzle, I headed to Scotland Yard and spoke to Inspector Lestrade myself and told him about my plan. "It's too risky, what are the probabilities of me surviving?"

"Trust me, inspector, I will have him caught if it goes well."

"Very well, I'm putting my faith in you, Holmes, I hope you will not disappoint."

"When have I ever."

I headed back to my residence and sat down on my chair, I picked up a book while waiting for Watson to return. Half past seven was the time he returned and with an unhappy look on his face. "Did something happen Watson?"

"By the Gods, Holmes. I think he did it, I think Ormond Sacker is our man."

"Please do explain."

"Holmes, when I first met Ormond Sacker, he was with a wife who was pregnant with his child, after the war he returned and was welcomed warm-heartedly by his family. Ten years later, his son was found dead and many speculated that it was suicide, he was a broken man and lost his wife. He believes that his son was murdered so he went and hunt down the man responsible which was the victim in the tavern. Tell me Holmes, did you know this?"

"That assumption is not wrong, Watson. I knew it all along, it occured to me that if I were to break the news to you directly, you would be as broken as him. Though your explanation has a few missing points and wrong facts."

"Which are?"

"Ormond Sacker lost his son in 1887, it was not only until 1889 that he found out that his son was murdered by our victim, the only reason why his wife left him was because she knew that he was out for revenge and couldn't bear to watch a man she once loved become a murderer. Dr. Sacker became our victim's doctor ever since then, he was patient and it was only until a few days ago that he decided it's time. I would like to apologize Watson."

"What for?"

"I didn't take up the case of his dead son, if I took the case, this wouldn't have happened."

"No, Holmes. It's not your fault. But how did you know it has to be a doctor Holmes? Why couldn't it be a normal pedestrian?"

"This world is full of things which nobody by any chance ever observes, Watson."

"That's not what I meant, Holmes. You know what I mean."

"When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge. But an army doctor Watson, he would have more nerves."

"So this is it then? We cuff him and bring him to Scotland Yard."

"Not quite, come Watson, it's nearly 8 o'clock."

Watson and I went to an alley where Lestrade is waiting for Dr. Sacker, we hid at the corners of a building and waited for him. When he appeared, Watson was the first to run at him, I tried to catch him but to no avail, Watson jumped on Dr. Sacker and punched him on the face several times, Lestrade and I pulled him away from Dr. Sacker and it was the first time sentiment got the best out of him. I walked up to Lestrade who was handcuffing Mr. Sacker. "I told you I will have him caught, Inspector."

"I had no doubts, is he going to be okay?" Lestrade replied pointing at Watson.  
"He won't be for a few days, my work here is done, Inspector. _Au revoir_."

The next day I told Watson "Any truth is better than indefinite doubt." and he just left the room without a single word.


End file.
